Sowing the Seeds Through Science and Engineering Research Act

Floor Speech

SOWING THE SEEDS THROUGH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH ACT -- (House of Representatives - April 24, 2007)

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Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, first I want to thank the chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology, Mr. Gordon, for putting forward H.R. 363, which will increase America's competitiveness in the world by strengthening our science and research base.

I offer this bipartisan amendment to build the pipeline for our country's future teachers, scientists, engineers and researchers by proposing 2,500 scholarships each year of full tuition to any State university or college.

My amendment is based on the National Academies' strong recommendation for the Federal Government to develop an undergraduate scholarship program for students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This amendment will create the recommended scholarship program through the National Science Foundation.

Under the amendment, an undergraduate student who comes from a family with an income of less than $75,000, maintains at least a 3.0 grade point average and is studying science, technology, engineering, or mathematics may receive up to 2 years of paid tuition at that State university.

Since the year 2001, tuition at State universities has risen by 41 percent, making the task of paying for college much more difficult. Scholarships for bright students will increase the number of students who will have the resources to go into the STEM field and achieve their God-given potential.

Having a home-grown, educated workforce will be crucially important to the future strength of America's economy, not only by allowing families and students who are financially stretched to continue their education at high-quality programs such as the nanotechnology program in SUNY Albany, SUNY-Delhi's College of Technology, or the Cytotechnology program at SUNY Plattsburgh, all colleges that are very important to my district in upstate New York, but because by educating America's students in these fields, we will ensure that America retains our competitive advantage in the science field around the world.

My upstate New York district is beginning an exciting new economic revival based on the high-tech sector, and we need to maintain a local workforce that is skilled in engineering and mathematics.

Investments in higher education and science are some of the most important investments our government can make, and I urge everyone to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. Chairman, I would like to briefly respond to my colleague's arguments.

I appreciate the remarks of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers). I thought they were very thoughtful, and I appreciate your long-term vision for the growth of science and technology deficit in the Nation.

I disagree with the analysis of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall). Primarily his argument seemed to say that this program is too expensive. But this is about our national security, it's about our economic security, and what is so necessary right now in our vision for America's future is the investment in the next generation. What we need to be is producing graduates who have science, math and technology expertise so that we can be competitive with both China and India in the generations and decades to come. We need to begin to fund the pipeline. I think the argument of being too expensive is misplaced.

Second, I would like to say this is a priority for our Nation, and I think we can all agree to strengthen our economy, and our national security has to be number one.

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